Normally, the process of reincarnation results in an almost total loss of memory, but it has preserved the power of Gumonji, which my ancestor Are had - that is, the power to remember anything you've seen.

勿論、阿求としての私もその能力を持っていて、本を編纂するのに役立てている。

Of course, as Akyuu, I have this power as well, and it has been extremely useful in compiling the materials for this book.

私は、阿一の生まれ変わり、さらに言えば阿礼の生まれ変わりである事は何となく理解しているが、残念ながら昔の幻想郷の記憶は鮮明ではない。

Somehow I know about things that happened during my life as Aichi, and even as Are, but unfortunately my memories of Gensokyo in ancient times are not very clear.

それは私も普通の人と同じで、過去を知るには過去の資料を読むしか知る手段は無い。

Just like a normal person, I have to read about the past to know much about it.

だが、幻想郷のあり様はここ百年余りで大きく変化した事は間違いないだろう。

Still, it's quite obvious that Gensokyo has changed drastically over the past hundred years or so.

The days where humans live in terror of youkai, or in desperation to exterminate them, have passed, and the world has become a place where youkai come to the human village to play, and humans are invited into the houses of devils.

今回の幻想郷縁起は、新しい幻想郷になってからの初めての本である。

This edition of the Gensokyo Chronicles is the first of these books to be written in the new Gensokyo.

As a result, I spent a lot of time worrying what to write about, and the usual warnings about youkai and descriptions of how to protect yourself from them followed as a result, but I spent some time arranging them a bit(*1) to try to provide a new youkai-centric viewpoint.

妖怪個人をピックアップして、私生活まで踏み込んでみたりしたのも、妖怪と人間の新しい関係を築きたいという思いからである。

I even tried picking out specific youkai and delving a bit into their personal lives, as I wanted to help build up new relationships between humans and youkai.

In addition, I got a great number of requests from youkai(*2), so what started out as a guide to help humans defend themselves from youkai was, before I knew it, a manual for youkai to help others learn about them.

実は今回の幻想郷縁起では、若干妖怪の危険度を水増しして書かれている。

In fact, a number of the youkai threat levels have been inflated somewhat in this volume.

今の幻想郷の実情は、人間を取って喰ったりする事はまず無いと言っても良いだろう。

This probably isn't too much cause for concern, as humans are almost never kidnapped and eaten by youkai in today's Gensokyo.

こうなると幻想郷縁起は一体誰の為に、何の目的で書いている資料なのかもう一度考え直さないといけないのかも知れない。

At this rate, I may have to completely rethink the audience of the Gensokyo Chronicles and the purpose of their existence.

そうでないと、私が転生し続ける意味も薄れてしまうからだ。

If not, the purpose of my continued reincarnation may be diluted.

今回の幻想郷縁起を書き終えたら、この本を広く公開し、その上でさらに私が転生を続ける必要があるか皆に問う事にしよう。

Once this edition of the Gensokyo Chronicles are finished, I should have as many people read it as possible and ask them if there's a point to my continued reincarnation.

しかし、幻想郷縁起が不要になる時代が来たと言う事は、逆に言えば人間にとっても妖怪にとっても理想の時代が訪れたと言う事だろう。

Still, the fact that we've entered into an age where there is practically no more use for the Gensokyo Chronicles means that this is a new, ideal era for both humans and youkai.

何しろ、命の危険も少ない上に、いつでも平和的に決闘を行えるのである。

There are few threats to humans' lives, and they can have peaceful duels whenever they please.

妖怪退治も名前だけの妖怪退治で、人攫いもポーズとしての人攫いなのだ。

Youkai extermination continues in name only, and abductions are only carried out for show.

安全で、かつ刺激的な世の中は、妖怪にも人間にも最高の時代だろう。

These peaceful, yet stimulating times are surely a golden age for humans and youkai alike.

この様な幻想郷が作られたのも、ひとえに博麗大結界によって世界が隔離されたお陰である事は疑いようが無い。

There's no doubt that Gensokyo has become the way it is thanks to the isolation brought about by the Great Hakurei Barrier.

外の人間が力を持ち始め、妖怪の存在を否定し始めた頃、既に幻想郷は滅亡の危機にさらされていた（＊３）。

About the time humans outside began to become more powerful and deny the existence of youkai, Gensokyo was already in danger of destruction(*3).

そこで妖怪の賢者が取った策とは、大結界により幻想郷を隔離すると言う物だったのだ。

The solution endorsed by the sage of the youkai was to isolate Gensokyo using a great magical barrier.

この大結界とは、いわゆる常識の結界である。

This barrier is the so-called barrier of common sense and the nonsensical.

この大結界により、外の世界は外の常識で、幻想郷は外の非常識と分けられた。

This barrier kept the outside world's common sense outside, leaving what defied that common sense inside, in Gensokyo.

外の世界が妖怪や夜の世界を否定し始めた事を逆に利用し、否定する事によって物や力が流れ込む世界を生み出したのだ。

It created a world which embraced the youkai and the world of the night that the outside world denied, a world into which things and powers flowed as they were denied by the outside world.

なんて消極的ながら画期的で革新的なアイデアだろうか（＊４）。

It was a truly passive, yet ground-breaking innovation(*4).

つまり大結界を張ったという事は、妖怪は自ら人間社会にとって不要な者なんでしょ？

Of course, the construction of the Great Barrier is almost an implicit statement by the youkai that they're no longer a necessary part of human society, isn't it?

良いですよ、こっちは勝手にやりますから、と言ってのけたと同じなのだ。

It's just the same as if they'd said, whatever, we'll do as we please in here.

その苦肉の策は完全に成功している様に見える。

One could say this desperate last resort was a smashing success.

もしかしたら苦肉の策ではなく、最良の策だったのかも知れない。

Or, perhaps it was the best possible plan, and not a simple act of desperation.

だがそんな大結界も、百年近く経過して一つ歪みが現れ始めた。

However, there was a flaw in this plan, as well.

それは、妖怪が人間を襲えなくなった事の弊害で、妖怪の力が弱体化してしまった事だった。

That flaw was that the youkai's inability to attack humans began to weaken their powers.

これでは、何か新しい妖怪が外で死滅し幻想郷に流れ込んだ時に、現状の妖怪では歯が立たず幻想郷が支配されてしまうかも知れない。

That meant that if a new and powerful youkai ever ceased to exist in the outside and passed into Gensokyo, its denizens would be unable to resist if it decided to subjugate them.

その大結界の所為で幻想郷が崩壊すると言う事も考えられる。

In this light, the Great Barrier can also be seen as a harbinger of Gensokyo's end.

勿論、それを回避する策も考えられた。

Of course, there was a plan to avoid this happening, as well.

それは、擬似的な戦闘を決闘（＊５）と言う形で行い、妖怪、人間共に闘い続けましょう、と言う物だった。

That plan was to have humans and youkai continue to battle each other in mock duels(*5).

今では、妖怪は定期的に異変を起こし、異変解決の専門家がそれを解決すると言う流れが生まれている。

This is how today's pattern where youkai create disturbances every so often, and incident resolution specialists resolve them was born.

今回の幻想郷縁起もその意向を汲み、妖怪は人間を襲う者という部分を強調気味に纏めた。

This edition of the Gensokyo Chronicles also has a treatment of this phenomenon, which serves as a conclusion to the section which deals with youkai who attack humans.

妖怪は人間を襲い、人間は妖怪を退治する。擬似的にでもこの形が無いと、幻想郷の未来は暗い物になってしまうだろう。

Youkai attack humans, and humans eliminate them. If even the appearance of this natural order were to vanish, Gensokyo's future would surely become a dark one.

私の見知では、今の妖怪の力は弱体化どころか、狭い幻想郷には過剰な力だと思う。

From my perspective, the power of today's youkai has not weakened; on the contrary, it's too much for the small area that is Gensokyo.

外の世界では次から次へと妖怪が忘れ去られている証拠だろう。

It's probably evidence of the outside world forgetting about youkai one after another.

だが、どの妖怪も外の世界に攻め込もうとはしない。

However, no youkai ever try to invade the outside world.

それは何故か。

Why is this?

妖怪は外の世界の人間に敵う訳がないと思っているのだ。

I believe it's because youkai have no reason to attack the humans of the outside world.

外の世界はそれ程までに人間の世界となってしまった。

To that extent, the outside world has become the world of humans.

外の世界で妖怪の名前が出る時は、物語の中だけで、それも退治されるだけの存在（＊６）に貶められている。

Youkai are only mentioned in the context of stories in the outside world, and even in stories they only exist to be vanquished(*6).

だから、幻想郷は狭すぎても、ここから出て暴れようとする妖怪は居ないのだ。

Thus, even though Gensokyo is as small as it is, no youkai ever leave it to go on a rampage.

妖怪に限らず、現状で満足出来ると言う事が幸せへの唯一の方法で有り、最も難しい事の一つだろう。

Being satisfied with the current state of affairs is the only path to happiness, but it is also probably the most difficult; this isn't just true for youkai.

確かに、不満を挙げることが向上心に繋がり、より良くしていく事になる。

Certainly, expressing dissatisfaction is related to self-improvement, and can be a good thing.

だが、言い返せばそれは欲で有り、欲深き者には滅びの道しか残されていない。

However, it can also be a sign of greed, and avaricious souls can only walk the path to their own destruction.

吾唯足るを知る、今ある物で自分は満たされていると言う意味である。

Enlightenment is knowing one has enough, and finding satisfaction in one's circumstances.

一足早く妖怪は吾唯足るを知るの境地に至った。

The youkai have finally reached that point in their existence.

今の幻想郷を見てそんな気分にさせられる。

This is the impression I get from today's Gensokyo.

このまま、狭いながらも無欲で幸せな幻想郷でありたい（＊７）。

I would like Gensokyo to continue to be the unselfish, happy, if cramped, place that it is. (*7)

なお、御阿礼の子と呼ばれる人間は――早い話が全て私の事だが、余り長生きは出来ない。

Still, the humans called the Children of Miare -- to make a long story short, we are not able to live for very long.

それは転生が不完全なのか、知能が高すぎる為なのかは判らないが、とにかく三十迄生きる事は出来ないだろう。

I don't know whether this is because the reincarnation is imperfect, or whether we simply know too much, but I will probably not live much beyond 30.

それに転生の術は何年も前から準備しないといけない。

Further, my preparations for the ritual of reincarnation must begin several years in advance of that.

それ故、普通の人間としての生活は殆ど送れないだろう。

As a result, I will likely not have much of a chance to experience life as a normal human being.

今の幻想郷は昔に比べると遥かに愉しく過ごし易いので、それだけが残念である。

This is my one regret, especially as it is much easier to enjoy an easy-going, pleasant life in Gensokyo now than in the past.

The ritual of reincarnation involves petitioning the Yama for forgiveness during my lifetime; since it takes nearly a hundred years to prepare my body for the next reincarnation, I spend that time working for the Yama of hell.

その為、今の様に幻想郷と冥界の行き来が容易くなったとしても、私は幻想郷の様子を見る事は出来ない。

So, even though it's become much easier to travel between Gensokyo and the Netherworld now, I won't be able to watch over Gensokyo.

今まで転生を行う度に、人間関係がリセットされるのが一番辛い事だった。

The hardest thing about reincarnation has always been having all of my interpersonal relationships reset.

だが今回は何かが変わる予感がする。

This time, though, I think that things may change somewhat.

それは、妖怪と人間の距離が近くなり、私にも妖怪の知り合いが増えた事だ。

This is because youkai and humans have become closer, so even I have youkai acquaintances.

妖怪なら、何百年でも生き続ける事はざらである。

It's not unusual for youkai to live for several hundred years.

私が百年以上地獄に落とされていようとも、人間は全て入れ替わってるだろうが、妖怪は同じ顔ぶれに会う事が出来るだろう。

Even if I spend over a hundred years in hell, all the humans I know will be gone, but the youkai will probably all look the same as ever.

今の幻想郷は、転生への恐怖と孤独も和らげるのだ。

So, the current state of Gensokyo has helped assuage the fear and loneliness I feel due to my reincarnation.

十代目の御阿礼の子の時代は、どんな世界になっているのだろう。

I wonder what the world will be like in the time of the tenth Child of Miare?

今の幻想郷は、機転の利く妖怪のお陰で完全な世界を保っている。

Contemporary Gensokyo has been preserved as a perfect world thanks to clever youkai.

この調子なら、何の変化もないまま幻想郷は存在し続けるだろう。

In the current state of affairs, Gensokyo could continue to exist unchanged for quite some time.

今の幻想郷は、外の世界に大きく依存している。

Today's Gensokyo is heavily dependent on the outside world.

それは、大結界が常識の結界だから当然の事であるが、幻想郷の中の力だけではどうにもならない事が存在している事は、やはり恐怖である。

This follows fairly obviously from the fact that the Great Barrier is a boundary of common sense, but it is frightening to think that such an incredible power is unique to Gensokyo.

もし、外の世界が崩壊したとしたら、妖怪の賢者はどういう行動を取るだろうか。

If the outside world were to be destroyed, I wonder what sort of action the youkai sages would take.

やはり、すぐに大結界を消滅させ、外の世界を支配し始めるのだろうか。

I suspect they would immediately dissolve the Great Barrier and begin their domination over the outside world.

まずは夜の世界を妖怪の世界とし、世界は再び闇の世界へと逆戻りするのだろうか。

Since the world of the night is the youkai's world, this could mean the world would once again regress to being a place of darkness.

何故か私にはその未来は想像出来ない。

For some reason, I can't imagine that happening.

今の幻想郷の妖怪を見る限り、妖怪の未来は明るい物としか思えないのだ。

Looking at the youkai of today's Gensokyo, I can only imagine the future of the youkai being a bright one.

一足早く精神的に優れた世界を創り上げたのは、外の世界の人間でも、妖怪退治をする人間でも無く、妖怪だったのである。

It was the youkai who quickly came up with a plan to create such an intellectual world, not the humans of the outside, and not the humans who exterminate youkai for a living.

その妖怪が愚かな真似をするとは思えないのだ。

I can't think that those same youkai would do something so foolish.

我々、里の人間はその妖怪の存在を強固な物とする為に、妖怪と闘っているポーズを大切にし、これからも妖怪退治を続けていくだろう。

We, the humans of the village, will continue our mock battles with the youkai in order to ensure the stability of their existence.

今回の幻想郷縁起は、これでまだ終わりではない。

This is not the end of the current edition of the Gensokyo Chronicles.

私が転生の準備を始めるまで編纂され続けるだろう。

I will probably continue collecting material for it until I must begin my preparations for reincarnation.

それまで、幺樂団の演奏でも聴きながら、私（＊８）の好きな紅茶を愉しみ続けたい。

Until then, I would like to continue enjoying the black tea I(*8) love so much as I listen to Yougakudan songs.